The Portland daily press., 1887-08-09
CHINESE CIVILIZATION.
Exalted Position of the Crandmotne
both Ashore and AfIoat.

lLCttCi " DOolOu lTduScrlpb.l
We speak of the Chinese as being only par
TALLY civilized, but my observations have led
me to believe that in social science they may
be our equals. In one particular especially |
think they excel us, and that is, in the posi-
tion in the family conceded to the grand
mother. Her authority is supreme and un-
questioned, and the old lady is not at all
backward in exercising her prerogatives
was at one time commanding ship lying
at anchor in the outer roadstead of Macao.
China. The water was so shoal that we were
obliged to anchor long distance from the
land, and often it was very rough, rendering
communications with the shore impossible
by our ships boats. 1t was customary.
therefore, to hire Chinese boats, called sam
pans, which have sails, and are most dexter
ously managed by their captains and crews,
which consisted, in the case of the one we
hired, OF the grandmother, grandfather, their
son, and his wife and three children; a girl
of twelve years, a boy of ten, and baby in
arms; this latter, being tightly strapped.
straddling his mothers backsw was regular
fixture. In this boat, which was about twen-
ty two feet long, lived this family, year in and
year out, from the cradle to the grave 1t
was kept very neat and clean, and they all
seemed happy and contented, receiving for
their services and boat hire eighteen dollars
a month.
The shape of the boat was like long Bart
lett pear, cutting from the stem horizontally.
sheerlng upward towards the largest end.
AT night the boat was covered with flexible
mats, water tight and she then looked like
the pear with the same piece which had been
cut off from the upper Side replaced. The
boat was divided into water-tight compart-
ments, as follows: The first space was for
the cable and anchor. the second for a fresh
water tank, the third for a sleeping place.
and the fourth was another sleeping place al
night and during the day it was the cockpit
for passengers, and the last compartment
was for stores, fuel, etc. This aftermost
space had a permanent deck, and was entered
by hatchway from above, the forward part
of the boat having only shifting decks or
covers, which could be raised at any time.
Upon the after deck the helmSman.s stood,
and there, also, was the cooking apparatus,
presided over by the grandmother, who was
"commander-in-chi
From this description your readers will
PROBABLY picture in their minds a most
clumsy, uncomfortable vessel; but can as
sure you that these little crafts are quite the
contrary, and have often stepped on board
one OF them during gales of wind with per
iect commence Whenever the old grand
mother said the word Cop Yet mist ac-
knowledge that she said it sometimes when +
| almost wished she hadn't "ioA =
III Is astonishing how beautifully such a
| crew as l have described can handle tbosa
little boats, and the way they beat to wind.
ward is remarkable. / was once going
ashore in the sampan; We cast off from Ot the
snip, made sail and the old grandfather was
at the helm. A good stiff breeze made things
hum: The old lady was squatting before
the FIRE, as is the custom when cooking. but
she wasn't happy. All at once she rose to
her feet and such an explosion Of 'heathen
Chinese" never heard before, and | had
man in words as though she would tear him
to pieces, but the old saint never moved a
muscle but kept his weather eye on the sails